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With Box AI for Slack, you can generate answers based on the contents of Box files you share in Slack. When Admins have Box for Slack enabled and have enabled Box AI for Slack in the Admin Console, users can query Box AI on Box files shared in Slack and will be able to receive, refine, and share Box AI’s answers without ever having to leave Slack.

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Using Box AI

Get started asking Box AI questions with the following methods:
  • Sharing a file and clicking the ‘Ask Box AI’ button
  • Using the ‘Ask Box AI’ message shortcut
  • Typing ‘@Box [your question]’ in a thread under a shared Box document or directly in any channel with bookmarked Box files
Once selected, you can type your question in the Box AI window. You can also include bookmarked files in the context of your inquiry by checking the box below the text box.
Note: You may need to authorize Box for Slack to access your Slack account when asking Box AI to include bookmarks as context.
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For private channels, you will need to invite the @Box app bot, allowing Box AI to generate responses from your questions in the channel. To use Box AI in Slack’s AI App assistant view: If you need to ask Box AI questions in a private chat, click on the Box Icon in the top right corner. Once the chat is open, you can type your question to Box AI.
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See Content Referenced within Responses to understand what content is used when asking Box AI questions

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Working with responses

After a response has been generated by Box AI, you can either post it to the Slack thread directly or refine your question to Box AI’s response.
Important: If you decide to post Box AI’s response, be sure the channel audience is appropriate as there may be channel members who do not have access to the document(s) that Box AI queried in generating the response.
If needed, once Box AI’s response is posted, you can remove it by clicking Remove Box AI Response from the shortcut menu in the message. For reference, you can see what file(s) Box AI used when generating the response at the top next to Files.

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Guidelines for Box AI questions

Box AI pulls information from the files shared in the Slack channel you are viewing. If you ask any questions about information not contained in files shared in the channel, Box AI will inform you that it cannot answer the question. As you ask Box AI to analyze information of files shared in your channel, consider these suggestions:
  • Be as specific as possible.
  • Use parameters, such as:
    • numbered lists,
    • length,
    • central themes,
    • key points
  • Stay within the scope of the files in the Slack channel.
  • Focus on text-based responses without calculations only.
For more guidelines, visit Best Practices with Box AI

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Content Referenced within Content

Depending on how you asked Box AI in Slack a question, the following content is referenced:
  • “Ask Box AI” from a shared file in the thread
    • Content referenced
      • Initial Box file(s) shared
      • (Optionally) Channel bookmarks
      • (Optionally) Other files shared in the thread
  • ‘Ask Box AI’ shortcut
    • Content referenced
      • Box files in the message
      • (Optionally) Bookmarked Box files
      • (Optionally) Box files shared in the thread
  • @Box in a thread under a shared Box document or directly in any channel with bookmarked Box files
    • Content referenced:
      • Box files linked in the question directly
      • Box files shared in the thread
      • If no files are shared, then bookmarked Box files
  • Using Box AI in assistant view
    • Content referenced:
      • Box files linked in the question and chat directly
      • Bookmarked Box files within the selected channel
      • Recently shared files in the related channel/conversation
Important:
  • Box AI can only read and synthesize information from content you can access. If there is content with Shield classifications, depending on who has access to that content, Box AI may not use that content to generate responses.
  • Box AI does not have access to Slack messages in the conversations between users in Slack channels or threads.
  • Box AI only has access to your messages that started with @Box or were posted in the AI assistant chat. Box AI for Slack does not have support for password-protected shared links.

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Troubleshooting

If you are unable to use Box AI, check the following with your admin:
  • Is Box AI enabled for your organization?
  • Is Box AI for Slack enabled in your organization? (Enterprise Plus and Enterprise Advanced)
  • Do you have the correct permissions to view the files and folders?
For information on enabling Box AI as admin, visit Enterprise Settings: Box AI Tab  – Box Support

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Known Limitations

  • Questions on, or including these topics or commands, return mixed and sometimes inaccurate information, such as:
    • Calculations, table structures, and numbers
    • Counting words or phrases
    • Document metadata such as page number, authors, file size, word count, and collaborators
    • Images, videos, charts, graphs, etc
  • Limited to 1,000 characters per question
  • Text content size limit is 2MB, with larger files only processing the first 1MB of text
  • Non-English languages may produce lower quality results
Box AI for Slack limitations:
  • Slack channels with restricted posting permissions will apply to Box AI for Slack.
  • Box AI for Slack can currently access up to 50 Box files in its source reference.
  • Using @Box mention is not available within direct conversations between two users or multiparty direct messages.
  • Box AI is not available within Slack Connect channels.
  • Box AI responses are limited to approximately 2,500 characters
  • Box AI currently does not support a Box folder as the question’s context.

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Box AI Principles

To view Box’s policies and practices surrounding using AI, visit The Box AI Principles Page  and Box AI: Acceptable Use Policy & Guiding Principles.

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Slack Policy and Agreements

Response generated with Box AI in Slack may be subject to Slack’s Workplace policies regarding message and data retention. See Privacy Policy | Legal | Slack for more information.